I’ve had my fair share of flats while riding almost everyday over the past year. I usually throw on a new tube while I’m out on a ride, just because it can be hard to locate pinch or small hole on the fly. Which means that I had a gigantic pile of rubber sitting at home. It would be a waste to just throw them away, especially since most of them only had minor defects.

I had some free time yesterday, so I just sat down with a bowl of water and started patching up my tubes. Some people don’t trust using patched tubes for anything more than a temporary fix, but in my experience, they work just as well as a brand new one if sealed properly. I tried using the rubber cement patches, but I didn’t think the seal would hold for too long. So I went back to the quick and easy pre-glued patches, which I have never had a problem with.

The key to patching up a tire is keep the contact area clean and clear. I like using a Sharpie to mark the actual leak, so you don’t lose the spot. Using water I clean the surrounding area and then wipe it down. Make sure the tube is dry, because it is hard to rough up a wet surface. Sand the area once it’s dry and then apply the patch, and press hard. Be sure to check the tube for multiple leaks, your tube will be worthless if you only patch up on hole on a swiss cheesed tube.

Since tubes are about $4-$5 a pop, you can save quite a bit of money re-using the same tubes. Not only that, but you would be keeping them out of landfills as well. I also found some tubes that were unrepairable, so I’m thinking of ways to re-use or recycle those.